Hair Care Myths, Debunked

Yes, You Can…

Wash your hair less often. For those with extremely oily hair who shampoo twice a day, cut back to once; if you shampoo daily, try every other day. It takes two to three weeks for your scalp to adjust the amount of oil it produces. If your hair feels uncomfortably oily in the meantime, wear a ponytail or a thick headband―and think about what you’ll do with all that extra time in the morning.

Use just two shampoos. You might have heard that hair can become “bored” with a shampoo and conditioner if you’ve used them for too long. And it’s true that hair can seem lifeless after a month or more of the same routine. A buildup of conditioners may be the culprit, says salon owner Johnny Lavoy, but “the good news is that you don’t need to fill your bathroom with four bottles of shampoo to rotate every week. Using a clarifying shampoo twice a month or so should correct the problem.”

Eat your way to healthier hair. If your hair is looking more like a wire fox terrier’s than a champion golden retriever’s, you should consider your eating habits. Biotin, a B vitamin found in many whole grains, liver, rice, milk, and egg yolks, “is a key vitamin to make your hair stronger,” says dermatologist Marianne O’Donoghue. Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins E and A can also have an impact on the overall health of the scalp. They can be found in fish, vegetables―oh, and kibble.